Has anyone else experienced the panels begin to bubble underneath the paint? I started noticing it on all 3 panels near the hinge. It’s not like there’s any exposure happening and seems like a bad paint job but want to see if others had experienced this.
Reached out to GFC support about it and since it’s out of warranty the options are to bring to a sand blasting/powder coating spot or buy new ones both of which will probably be over $3k when it’s all fixed which seems crazy.
Out of curiosity, how old is yours? What part of the country are you located?
Los Angeles and I’ve had it since 2021.
I’d shop around on the pricing for re-coating them as $3k seems very high. In my experience it should be roughly around $50/panel for blasting and $200/panel for powder coating.
Because it is aluminum what you are seeing is corrosion not rust. It looks like when the hinge was riveted on the panel, the anodizing was damaged. Also, this occurs more in areas close to the ocean. Before you have an automotive paint shop do anything go to an aircraft FBO (Fixed Based Operator) that has a paint shop. In other words, ask someone that paints aircraft.
This should have been addressed during production.
If this happens to mine, I will drill the rivets, separate the hinge, address the corrosion before reassembling the panel.
It may be more cost effective to buy new panels.
PS: I would not powder coat I would paint with the paint I used on aircraft.
This was the pricing I receive from GFC to replace the panels:
Since it’s on both side panels ($950*2=$1900) and the rear with no window ($750) it’s a pretty pricey fix for completely new ones but I’m not sure the alternative. Probably ride it out until it gets really bad or try to do some spot fixes somehow.
Before you do anything go to a General Aviation or private aircraft airport and ask an A&P mechanic what they would suggest and if they could refer a paint shop. Then ask the A&P mechanic what aluminum perp they use and what they would do. Then make your decision.
Remember Aircraft are all aluminum.
One more thing. The problem could have been caused by how the panel flexing when using one of the latches to open it. Because it is a flat piece of aluminum you will see the side you pull twist the panel putting stress on the rivets holding the hinge.
Because my wife is short, I added a stainless-steel anchor and lanyard at the center bottom of the panels. I use the anchor to open the panel especially since I mounted my recovery boards on one of the panels. I never liked the flexing when I got it.
I only put the lanyard on when at the camp site.
Anchor for Bimini Top for boats.
Penta Angel 10Pcs 3/8" Stainless Steel 316 Bimini Boat Top M5 Pad Eye Deck Loop Strap Tie Down Anchor Point footman’s Loop for Kayak Canoe Rigging Amazon.com
If you do want to wait, corrosion is not like rust. It takes a long time to damage the aluminum.
You could clean the corrosion, use Aluminum Prep and then put a cool looking wrap on the panels.
Actually I was thinking about a wrap up until I mounted the recovery boards.
I’m getting this too. I’m based in Seattle. Had mine since Feb 2022.
Yep getting the same pretty bad on all three hinges and on the strut mounting points, as well as some flaking on the rear door hinge. I’m on the west coast, spent a winter in the rockies with temps as low as -40C, so that probably exacerbated it. Not the best pics, but it gives an idea.
I had just noticed something similar with mine as well. Also SoCal. Mine is two years old. Picked it up Thanksgiving 2022.
….It appears you might still be supported by the warranty. I would fill out a Service & Warranty request asap if you haven’t already.
They also have powder coat touch-up rattle cans for after you address it. Not sure I would buy new panels if you need to deal with it every few years.
Thanks to the formation of a thin, protective oxide layer (Anodizing) on its surface, aluminium tends to be more resistant to corrosion than other metals. However, this doesn’t make it completely immune.
The most common form of aluminium corrosion is known as pitting corrosion. This happens when localised damage to the protective oxide layer exposes the underlying aluminium to corrosive environments. However, it can also be vulnerable to other types of corrosion depending on the circumstances.
Aluminium is particularly at risk of corrosion when exposed to:
Note: Most importantly when using screws to attach to Aluminum.
Galvanic Corrosion Prevention: Avoid placing aluminium in direct contact with dissimilar metals to prevent galvanic corrosion. If different metals must be in contact, use insulating materials or apply a protective coating to isolate them.
Review attached article: What Corroded Aluminium Looks Like (and How to Prevent It)
This video may help prevent aluminum corrosion:
This video may help when preparing to paint aluminum:
